Tunisia’s Ben Ali goes on trial in absentia

The legal team of the ousted Tunisian president, Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who has gone on trial in Tunis, intends to request a postponement to prepare his defence, according to one of his lawyers. Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14 in the face of a popular uprising against his 23-year rule and is being tried in absentia by a criminal court over scores of cases against him and his entourage. “We will ask for a postponement of the hearing to get in contact with our…